Veterans' plight

September 19, 2012

Lost in the national and even local unemployment figures is how badly younger veterans — particularly those between 18 and 24 years old — are suffering. The Bureau of Labor Statistics last year put unemployment for this group near 30 percent. Some employers don’t want to hire any young veterans because they’re afraid they have post traumatic stress disorder or a physical disability, which many of them do.

Yet the federal government is doing surprisingly little to help these men and women who have sacrificed so much. In fact, the government is poised to raise their health care premiums, making it harder for them to get essential physical therapy and PTSD counseling.

I am surprised this hasn’t become more of a hot-button issue in the presidential campaign. Politicians always say they support the troops, but few have put forward solutions to help protect veterans from health care premium hikes or benefit reductions.

They could pay for the programs by raising taxes, cutting earmarks or capping the budgets of out-of-control defense projects like the Joint Strike Fighter (which has gone three-quarters over its budget and will now cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion, a fantastical sum).

Leaders should propose real solutions to the plight of America’s veterans.